Lexus has confirmed today, in an announcement corresponding with the Tokyo auto show, that it will introduce its first production-bound electric car very soon—in November 2019.
Although Lexus said little more about that actual EV, it’s suspected to be what Lexus chief Koji Sato had previously described as a “tall, boxy hatchback.”
That could refer to the long-awaited possibility of a fully electric UX crossover. In a further hint that it’s more of an urban-oriented model like the UX, Lexus says that the new EV will be “broadening its response to the needs of various regions around the world.”
Lexus confirmed in the same release that it will be launching its first plug-in hybrid model and a separate fully electric model built on a dedicated electric-car platform “early in the coming decade.”
By 2025 Lexus says that it will have electrified versions of all Lexus vehicle models (it doesn’t specify whether that means plug-in or not).
Lexus also at the Tokyo show laid out a vision for the electric vehicle of the year 2030—with the LF30 Electrified Concept, which has in-wheel motors, steering by wire, and an advanced posture control that integrates the suspension, steering, and brakes.
“We are aiming for sales of electrified vehicle models to outpace those of conventional internal combustion engine vehicle models,” Lexus declares.
Although that might sound like an understatement, Lexus and Toyota are known for going big on revolutionary powertrains—like hybrids. We eagerly await seeing their approach applied to electric.
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